Certain existing vehicle interiors are designed with armrests integrated with the door trim. Since they are permanently mounted on the door trim they affect, often negatively, the overall interior roominess. Therefore, these existing armrests may limit the potential in door trim design such that interior styling and volume may thus be unnecessarily compromised.
The existence of these armrests may also reduce the gap between the occupant and the door trim, and thereby affect proper side airbag deployment and airbag volume. Moreover, relatively stiff armrests may engage the occupant during side crashes and result in relatively greater rib deflections.
It would thus be advantageous if an armrest is provided to solve one or more of these identified problems.